DaydreamChronicles

Episode 9: Ancient Ascent

Everything seemed so small from so high up. The flying city of Utoas, mainly accessible through a portal on the ground, overlooked much of the main continent. Cities like Balancor were clearly visible as well as many villages and other regions. Laurel, Lumos and Thistle had made it here after having visited Balancor to report to Lord Lindrel. Laurel’s father warned them that things were getting worse with increasing attacks from the agents of chaos. Villages had been able to defend themselves, but the constant threat was causing a wave of fear to wash over the people.

A whole week had passed since the events at Ixis. Today the group admired the way Utoas remained afloat in the sky and its intricate architecture.

Laurel – “Is there any reason why the city is here, floating in the sky?”

Lumos – “Well, in ancient times the city was on the ground. It made it difficult to protect it from assaults coming from different directions. In order to preserve the city as well as access to Rallion, a system of devices was developed that raised it.”

Thistle – “Are the devices those orbs we keep seeing all around the city?”

Lumos – “Indeed. If memory serves, they were built during a ceasefire and deployed when enemies of the city discovered a prototype. Of course, those enemies didn’t understand the function, so they believed the device to be hostile.”

Thistle – “Once again I am reminded that ancient times were pretty horrible here in Entralia. I am glad that many of us were not roaming the lands back then.”

Lumos – “Those wars are a part of our history now, sad as it is. We have learned much since then.”

Laurel – “It’s impressive that the devices continue to function to this day.”

Lumos – “They are a kind of artifact themselves, serving the very specific purpose of keeping the city aloft.”

The group continued to discuss the oddities of the city. Much of it was built using special materials only found in Rallion. Some of these materials are known for their magical properties, like sky stone and sky metal. As their name suggests they are forged in the skies of Rallion and used in most of their constructions. Wind magic permeates these making it easier to shape them using spells of that same element.

Utoas was a bustling city. Much like Balancor, trade was booming and travel to Rallion made it easier for commerce to prosper. It was a surprise for Laurel to sometimes see some of the people dive off an edge of the city, only to sprout eagle or raven wings and fly off into the distance. Wind magic had powerful summoning spells that helped navigate the skies with ease. Command of winds and thunder was this element’s specialty. Thunder is a powerful energy source and it is used to both power the levitators surrounding the city as well as other unique devices, like the portal to the ground. Despite its large size there were parts of the city in active development. Thistle noted how sky metal was shaped to form canals or tubes that provided support. Workers would bring sky stones and move them using wind magic.

Eventually their exploration of the city led them to find the ancient archives. Numerous guards patrolled the area and at least four were permanently posted to the entrance. Just before entering, a man approached them and introduced himself as Ravaan.

Ravaan – “State your business.”

Lumos – “I am Sage Lumos and I am here at the behest of King Hector of Ixis.”

Ravaan – “My goodness, you’ve finally arrived. We received word of your visit a few days ago.”

Lumos – “Ah, apologies, we were held back at Balancor. We need access to the archives.”

Ravaan – “Due to the current security measures established I can only allow one of you to enter.”

Lumos – “Understood, you’re aware of the threat of the agents of chaos?”

Ravaan – “We are. The council of Rallion has increased the number of soldiers at the world portal as well as here in the city.”

Laurel – “You go ahead then, we can meet at the portal once you’re done.”

Thistle – “Don’t take too long!”

Lumos – “I will try. See you later.”

With Lumos busy looking into more information on the chaotic energy, Laurel and Thistle decided to continue roaming the city.

Inside the archives Ravaan accompanied Lumos to help in the search.

Ravaan – “So far those agents of chaos have yet to make a move on Rallion.”

Lumos – “We have encountered them at least three times already. They attacked a village here in Entralia, a vault in Brensur and the castle itself on Ixis.”

Ravaan – “It’s possible their next target could be Rallion, but we have no way of knowing. They are elusive.”

Lumos – “Indeed, they seem to have no real organization, with one exception. Some of their group have mentioned a man named Gerthran. Currently not even the Entralian council knows who this person is. With how events have been going, I would not be surprised if this person showed up soon.”

Ravaan – “In that case I’ll help you search for whatever books you may need.”

Lumos – “Yes, there are two particular areas of study I need to research. One deals with chaotic energies and the other the history of collaboration between the worlds in ancient times.”

Ravaan – “I’m sure we can find something on that easily.”

The hours passed as Lumos and Ravaan searched. A mountain of books had formed of those that had to be set aside. Few had anything written on the ancient events that Lumos needed to learn of. He did find clues pointing to what he eventually found, an old dusty tome with many faded pages. What little remained readable described a crisis that involved chaotic energies, broken spells and an alliance. This was all that he needed. The worlds did work together at some point in ancient times. Although the main threat was still rather obscure, he now had something to go on. A new crisis, similar to that ancient one, was on the rise and they would need all the help they could get. The joint artifacts would most likely be the key to dealing with the problem, but there was something else. Along with the faded words were also faded illustrations that pictured some sort of deity giving something to the people. What that something was could not be determined, that too was now an unknown part of history.

As for the chaotic energies, Lumos found a book on the dimension known as Cythia. This place had been used as a prison before. It was also the site of a great battle. The origins of this dimension point to a being of the same name, but nothing else is said. The book that mentioned all this was mostly distorted or had torn pages. Other bits mentioned that this dimension was prone to chaotic outbursts and would sometimes seem as if it had a will of its own. Lumos recalled that the Entralian council knew that Cythia had its own world portal, but it was destroyed when the dimension became a prison. Any further information that Lumos tried to glean from the book ended without any new knowledge.

Lumos – “There must be more to this. Do you know of Cythia?”

Ravaan – “I have read bits and pieces about it. The most common knowledge is that it is like its own unique world. A separate dimension, small in size but with wild and swirling energies.”

Lumos – “I feel like the distortions on this book were made on purpose.”

Ravaan – “That book was lent to someone not too long ago. It is possible they tampered with it.”

Lumos – “Do you know of any other copies of it? Or maybe other books similar to this one?”

Ravaan – “There is another book relating to Cythia. It is currently in the hands of the Council of Rallion. You will have to confer with them in the city of Alto.”

Lumos – “Good then, we were planning on going there anyway. Thank you for your help Ravaan.”

Ravaan – “You’re welcome. I will send word ahead of you so that your search is easier.”

Lumos – “Excellent! I should go then, Laurel and Thistle must be bored by now.”

Ravaan led Lumos back to the entrance. He also informed one of the guards to go to Rallion and deliver the message of Lumos’ impending visit.

Just as Lumos suspected, Laurel and Thistle were sitting at one of the edges of the city where people sometimes dive off of to fly off. When Thistle saw Lumos approaching she let out a big sigh and said “Finally!”. As she said this Laurel slid off the edge into the abyss. Lumos ran as fast as he could. Despite his age he made it quickly to the edge, only to find Laurel happily flying around on newly summoned eagle wings. Thistle meanwhile couldn’t hold her laughter at what was a rather cruel prank.

Laurel – “Hey! we went ahead and learned the essentials for travel through Rallion.”

Lumos – “My dear, please don’t do that again. My heart sank to the depths of Entralia.”

Thistle – “Sorry Lumos, it was my idea in the first place.”

Laurel – “Goodness, I apologize as well!”

Lumos – “Apologies accepted, but please be more mindful next time.”

Laurel – “We will.”

Laurel landed beside Lumos and the wings dissipated into energy.

Laurel – “Did you find anything of use?”

Lumos – “I did, but the rest of the information we need is in Rallion. I have a meeting set up with the Council of Rallion.”

Thistle – “Then let’s get flying!”

Lumos, Laurel and Thistle approached the world portal. A nearby spell master made sure they were prepared for the trip and opened the portal shortly after.

Episode 8: The Balance of Fire and Frost

Large icicles rained down upon the castle. While this happened Laurel and Thistle hurried to the throne room. Just outside the castle entrance Ixis soldiers and warriors of chaos fought. Laurel rushed into the throne room, meanwhile Thistle helped the guards fight off some of the warriors. When she finally reached the throne room, Lumos was fighting the leader of the warriors, a priestess named Mikayla.

Mikayla – “I know you have more artifacts in your possession! Give them to me!”

Laurel – “They’re not yours to claim, leave!”

The priestess was skilled in using water magic, but even with such skill Laurel’s attack caught her off guard. Mikayla did not expect the amount of power behind a fire magic spell that Laurel had cast. The flames pushed her back. Laurel firmly put herself between Lumos and Mikayla.

Mikayla – “Pah! Wasteful, we will meet again young lady. Retreat!”

By now some of the warriors of chaos had been apprehended. Mikayla knowing the odds were now completely stacked against them decided to fight another day. She took the remaining warriors, but not before unleashing a spell that lifted large pieces of ice and threw them towards the city. Laurel gave chase, but had to relent or the people would suffer. Using the Ring of Frost, Laurel broke the ice into tiny snowflakes.

Laurel – “Coward!”

Lumos – “Goodness Laurel, you arrived just in time. Sadly the priestess was able to run off with the artifact that was guarded here at the castle.”

Laurel – “I saw the energy flying off from the castle towards the world portal.”

Lumos – “Yes, it appears that artifact was important.”

Laurel – “Oddly though there was no such energy when I picked the Ring of Frost or the Circlet of Cold Flames.”

Lumos – “I see you’re well familiarized with the new artifacts you acquired. Come, let us report to the king. What happened to your guide? Gelis?”

Thistle – “It turned out he was part of those agents of chaos. He tried to trap us but one of the local sentient tribes helped us out.”

Laurel – “It was thanks to a whale named Umari that I was able to reach the temple and glaciers that held the artifacts.”

Lumos – “Quite the revelation, we must be careful as we move on. No telling what these people are capable of.”

Laurel – “Gelis mentioned someone named Gerthran.”

Lumos – “Mikayla, the priestess, also mentioned him. Looks like we will have much to research.”

King Hector arrived with a number of his guards. He was instructing them to begin questioning the warriors that had been captured. Once back at the throne he asked Lumos to see if he found anything in his short time with the artifact he was studying, which ended up stolen by Mikayla.

Lumos – “I tried a variety of spells and enchantments to explore the history of the artifact. Hidden deep with the artifact itself was a force of pure chaos swirling inside. The item seemed to be in a dormant state, that is, until the priestess used some ritual to reawaken it.”

King Hector – “What power did that helmet hold?”

Lumos – “From what I could tell there are more pieces of a full set of armor. That chaotic energy is hidden in many artifacts though, not just the parts of the armor suit.”

Laurel – “I learned from the circlet that there are at least two more unique artifacts that are a collaboration between two worlds each.”

King Hector – “Most interesting. I would ask you to give the circlet and ring to us, but clearly even we are vulnerable here. It is best if you keep them for now. Since you’re moving through the worlds it will be difficult for that cult to keep track.”

Laurel – “Thank you King Hector. I will do my best to protect them. They are also bound to me for some reason, I would not be able to take them off. The only thing I can do is use the rings in conjunction with the circlet. It is a power only unlocked by having all three of these artifacts.”

Lumos – “Fascinating! What wondrous constructs. We must continue to learn more.”

King Hector – “Indeed you should. I suggest visiting the ancient archive on Utoas. From there you could visit Rallion and ask for a meeting with its ruling council. I can send word ahead of your visit. Ixis and Rallion have been allies for years now.”

Laurel – “That would be very helpful.”

Lumos – “Then let us be off. Every moment counts. Once again we are very grateful for your help King Hector.”

King Hector – “I am glad to be able to help. Go and put a stop to the mad ambitions of that cult.”

Laurel, Thistle and Lumos left the throne room. While walking back to the dock they talked about the recent events.

Lumos – “By now we have seen one common denominator in all this.”

Thistle – “Chaos, chaos and more chaos.”

Lumos – “Indeed, naturally there is chaos all around us, but the world balances itself out. The elements are no different. In the same way they oppose each other they also balance themselves. Alliances between opposing worlds was a rarity in ancient times. It’s possible that there is recorded history of such events. If so, then there should be a book about it in the archives.”

Laurel – “Why don’t we visit Balancor and give father an update on our little adventure?”

Thistle – “That would be great!”

Lumos – “Sure, I don’t see why not. It will do you good to see him and I can report my findings directly.”

After traveling with Captain Hanna again the trio made it safely back to the Frigis Isles. There they decided to get a good rest before making their way to Balancor.

Episode 7: Wandering Glaciers

A cold breeze swept through the throne room. Laurel, Lumos, Thistle and Gelis had arrived. Lumos spoke to one of the guards and they allowed them to approach the king.

Lumos – “King Hector the 4th, it is an honor to be here.”

King Hector – “Well met. I believe you had visited Ixis before, but never came to Ixnar for a visit.”

Lumos – “Ah yes, back then I had a different focus.”

King Hector – “I am glad to have you here now great sage. I received communication not long ago from Lord Lindrel of the Entralian Council, I believe he is the father of this lovely young lady?”

Laurel – “Yes sir, I am Laurel and this is Thistle and Gelis.”

King Hector – “Traveling with sentients no less. Your father mentioned you’re looking for artifacts?”

Laurel – “We are. There is a group of people who are also after the same. Their goals possibly far more sinister, yet we haven’t been able to uncover why they are doing this.”

King Hector – “Your father’s report also mentioned this. I can tell you of three unique artifacts hidden on Ixis. Two of them are far out of reach, and the third is sealed in one of the castle vaults.”

Lumos – “Will you part with it?”

King Hector – “I cannot. The artifact is a royal heirloom. It must not leave Ixis. At the very least I can bring it to you so you may study its properties.”

Lumos – “That will suffice, my king. It will allow me to investigate the energies that the other artifacts seemed to be holding back.”

King Hector – “Good, I will ask the guards to double their patrols in case those agents of chaos decide to show up. As for you, Lady Laurel, there are rumors of a wandering tribe of sentients that are said to be protectors of one of the artifacts. Perhaps you can find a way to contact them.”

Laurel – “Alright, I’ll set out and search the coast.”

Lumos – “I will remain here until you return.”

King Hector – “Be careful if you end up venturing out to sea. It can be treacherous.”

Laurel – “I’ll keep it in mind.”

Gelis – “I can help guide you as well.”

Laurel – “Hey Thistle, you could stay here with Lumos if you want.”

Thistle – “Nah, I’d get bored in a second just staring at Lumos. I’ll accompany you.”

Laurel, Gelis and Thistle left the throne room. King Hector summoned the artifact to be brought up to the throne room. With the artifact there Lumos began his observations immediately and took note of his findings. This artifact was a helmet. It looked ordinary, if somewhat dated. Most likely a design from ancient times that has withstood the test of time. He surmised that since the helmet had kept its pristine appearance it must hold some hidden power. As for any sealed energy there was none he could detect.

Sitting at one of the few coasts Laurel pondered her next steps. While she waited Gelis had left to gather some information on his own. Thistle decided to follow Gelis, hiding around corners and behind barrels. Gelis met with a number of people, and though Thistle couldn’t make out what they spoke of it seemed that they had agreed to meet again. She flew as fast as she could back to Laurel.

Laurel – “Where were you? I was a bit worried.”

Thistle – “Just floating around, nothing dangerous.”

Laurel – “Dangerous? Thistle, what did you do?”

Thistle – “Nothing, noth…”

Gelis – “It seems we are ready”

Laurel rose and turned to face the land. As she did, she noticed a group of warriors had gathered.

Gelis – “You have items that belong to us.”

Thistle – “I knew it! You weren’t gathering information for us, you were gathering them!”

Laurel – “Don’t tell me, you’re one of those agents of chaos.”

Gelis – “Yes, and hear this, Lord Gerthran wants those artifacts back.”

Laurel – “Oh, nice to have a name attached to your little movement. Sadly for you or Gerthran these artifacts stay with me.”

Laurel prepared her ringblade while Thistle gathered what energy she could to cast spells. Before anyone could make a move, a large wave appeared and engulfed Laurel. The swirling water formed a pocket of air around Laurel and Thistle. A rain of ice spears fell towards the warriors driving them back. The spears were followed by a cloud of mist that blinded them and pushed Gelis away. A small ice platform carried Laurel towards the sea still surrounded by the swirling water.

After a few minutes of traveling on the ice platform the swirling water settled and opened the air pocket. Laurel found herself in the middle of the ocean. In the distance she could make out the large glacier that holds Ixnar. Two other glaciers could be seen in the opposite direction.

Laurel – “Well, what do we do now?”

Thistle – “Uhh, Laurel? There’s something in the water.”

Laurel looked down into the depths. A large figure was slowly rising. To their surprise it was a whale, common to the Frigis Isles. This one was very particular though. Not only was this whale larger than those on the islands, it was also a Sentient. Slowly and carefully it surfaced beside the ice platform.

Thistle – “Aren’t you a big one.”

Umari – “Greetings, I am Umari. I am the leader of the frost whale tribe of Ixis. We sensed your presence when you entered our world.”

Laurel – “My presence, could it be the ringblade again? Zethia mentioned that my ringblade could be special.”

Umari – “Ah, you know of the Brensur dragon tribe, good.”

Thistle – “Was it you who brought us here?”

Umari – “Yes, we knew you would be pursued. Many of us sentients are interlinked, we can tell our hearts. We knew that sprite was up to no good.”

Thistle – “I need to hone my own heart, I didn’t notice that his intentions were not good from the beginning.”

Umari – “Not all can tell, but surely you can gain this skill easily.”

Thistle – “I’ll try my best. Thank you for protecting us.”

Umari – “There is something you must do. Those who were about to attack you are after artifacts hidden away in those two glaciers that you can see in the distance. Beneath the waters they are linked together. The larger one holds a temple but it can only be accessed through the connected glacier.”

Laurel – “It seems our own artifact search is going to be fruitful. Do you know what the items actually are?”

Umari – “We only know of one. A ring that looks much like the one you wear.”

Laurel – “Then we’ve found the counterpart. This is the Ring of Flames, an artifact from Brensur.”

Umari – “I see, those rings are meant to be worn together. It calls to you even now and compels me to aid you. I will move the platform to the glacier. From there you can dig down into its heart and collect the ring.”

The ice platform moved at great speed towards the smaller of the two glaciers. Once Laurel was on it she used her magic to feel the energy emanating from the ring. She started carving a tunnel through the ice using the power of the Ring of Flames. Inside the glacier were a number of chambers that she could see through the ice. At the center of each was a dimly lit crystal which allowed Laurel to properly align the tunnels she was creating. Little by little she made her way down. The further down, the darker it got. Laurel had to be careful not to bore into the outer wall of the glacier or water would start pouring through. At the very center of the glacier was, once again, a pedestal. Just above it, the ring floated. Water flowed from beneath the pedestal up to a small opening where it flowed outward in four different directions. When Laurel picked up the ring the water stopped flowing. The glacier rumbled and started cracking. Magical energies swirled around Laurel. The artifact bound itself to one of her fingers on the opposing hand which had the Ring of Fire. She could feel as the magical tether that she had formed in her mind with water magic had strengthened tenfold. Her spells could now command the waters with ease, she would need this to escape the collapsing glacier.

Outside of the glacier Thistle watched as parts of that gigantic ice formation began to crumble. Pieces fell into the ocean causing waves. Umari kept watch as well. She swam around the glaciers and spoke to Thistle about Laurel’s progress. The second larger glacier had a temple built inside. There was an entrance directly connected to a chamber on the small glacier Laurel was trying to escape from. With her newly acquired mastery of water magic she moved the ice and froze the water when necessary. She could temporarily stop the water flowing into the chambers by freezing the cracks. At times she built steps to reach the higher chambers. Time was running out. The magic that held this glacier together had all but dissipated. It was now or never. Laurel caused a powerful water spout to push her upward. A combination of water and fire magic. One to create a tunnel to the chamber that connects to the temple entry, the other to push herself through. Once she made it to the temple entrance she saw as the glacier completely broke apart. She also realized this part was still beneath the sea, yet water did not flow into it.

Laurel continued into the temple. A few hundred steps into it and she found herself at a dead end. There was a large brazier at the center of the chamber. Beneath it the words “A light to liven the shadows” were written. Using the magic from the Ring of Flames she ignited the brazier. It ignited for a short time, but then the flames faded. This was not the answer to this puzzle. So she continued to walk around the chamber looking for other clues. On the wall just in front of the brazier was another set of words, they read “A balance of two will create the right amount of light”. By balancing the right amount of both water and fire magic Laurel was able to create an odd blue flame. This kind of fire was unlike anything she had seen before. Instead of it giving off warmth it radiated cold. She placed this cold flame on the brazier and to her surprise it remained lit. The wall that was right in front cracked through the middle and opened to the sides.

The next room was a large and tall chamber. There were many floating rectangular masses of water. Along the way up, there were more braziers to ignite. The water formed a path. Laurel would have to swim up and jump between the strange watery blocks. Slowly but surely she made her way upward, lighting braziers as she moved. A few instances where she almost fell down, but was clever enough to use the water to catch herself. The final pool of water seemed endless. Laurel was already tired from all the swimming and jumping. In order to push herself to the surface she used magic drawn from the Ring of Frost, the one she acquired earlier, to create a current that would carry her upward. This provided a bit of relief. Once at the surface she noticed an icicle at the center of the chamber. A circlet with a slot at the front was being held on this icicle. Without much thought Laurel froze the water in the large pool and used her ringblade to cut the icicle. The icicle proceeded to fall and bury itself on the ice. Laurel walked up to it and cut another part, just beneath the circlet and melted the ice holding the artifact.

While holding the circlet, Laurel wondered about the small slot at the front. The temptation to wear this rather simple looking item was too much. When she did she would feel the powerful magic flowing into her. Even the energy of the two rings felt stronger. Ancient knowledge started teaching her about the circlet. This artifact was named the Circlet of Cold Flames. It was created in a rare alignment when Brensur and Ixis were allied against an unknown force. Its power resonated with the rings.

One more challenge awaited Laurel. An enormous ice block barred her way from the entrance. Also, behind it was a wall of water that would push her away and surely flood the chamber. It was time to test the capabilities of the circlet. Laurel had tried to remove the Ring of Flames once before, this time she was able to do it and place the ring on the slot in the circlet. The circlet itself transformed and created a sort of obsidian crown. She was now overflowing with fire mana. With this energy she could bore a hole in the ice block before her, and so she did. As soon as she was through, water started pouring into the chamber with great force. It was time to test the circlet with the Ring of Frost. She was able to switch the rings in an instant. Now the circlet changed into an ice crown. The boost in water mana allowed Laurel to manipulate the flow of water and use it to create a swirling bubble, much like the one Umari had used before. Laurel continued to combine powers to clear her way through the remainder of the temple. Her mastery of water and fire magic had increased far beyond what she might have anticipated.

At the upper part of the glacier was a large entrance to the temple. This entrance was sealed from the inside by an ice lock and two braziers that needed to be lit. Laurel dealt with these and looked on as the doorway opened. Just outside Thistle was battling Gelis who had caught up with them. Two ships were docked nearby, which meant that the soldiers of chaos were close as well.

Laurel – “Leave her alone!”

She screamed and let forth a powerful wave of fire that pushed away the sprite. Thistle quickly joined up with Laurel.

Thistle – “Glad you finally got out of there. I felt my energy fading fast.”

Laurel – “Where’s Umari?”

Thistle – “She was hurt during the attack and swam into the depths. A spear pierced her back.”

Laurel – “You! You’ll pay for hurting Umari!”

Gelis – “She is insignificant! And so are you!”

Gelis prepared to launch ice spears at Laurel. Meanwhile the soldiers gathered behind the sprite, weapons drawn. Laurel and Thistle were outnumbered but Laurel refused to give up.

Gelis – “Give me the artifacts and I promise I will spare you.”

Laurel – “No, you’ve already caused harm. I will stop you here and now!”

The ice spears flew forward as the soldiers behind Gelis charged at Laurel. Using the magic she had learned, and her newfound mastery, Laurel deflected the spears and flung powerful cold flames towards the soldiers. Their feet became frozen, stuck to the floor of the temple entryway. Gelis shielded himself from the flames, but couldn’t withstand the next attack. Laurel launched a beam of fiery energy at Gelis. He tried to use his magic shield but it broke away.

Thistle – “What now?”

Laurel – “I don’t know. I don’t want to kill them.”

Laurel’s hesitation was dangerous in such a situation, but instead of actually carrying out such a heavy penance she decided to use the ice to immobilize the soldiers further. As for Gelis he seemed to have become stunned.

Laurel – “We should go while we still have a chance.”

Thistle – “Oh! I have an idea, let’s burn their ships down, that way they’ll be stuck here.”

Laurel – “That is a great idea, I’ll lend you some mana. You take the left one, I’ll take the right one.”

The winds carried the smoke of the burning ships towards Ixnar. People there were surprised and many were scared because it could mean a potential invasion. Laurel found Umari again. She had resurfaced, but still had a spear stuck on her. Healing magic was available to every element, but Laurel chose to use healing water magic to remove the spear and seal the wound. Umari in return carried them back near the shores of Ixnar. This time Laurel created an ice platform for herself.

Umari – “You have grown greatly in such a short time.”

Laurel – “These artifacts have unlocked a potential I didn’t know existed within me. They feel more my own even when they are ancient.”

Umari – “Good, your familiarity with them will aid you in your adventure. Other Sentients in the other worlds may lend a hand, but be wary always. Not all of us are free from the chaotic influence.”

Laurel – “Wait, do you know more about all this?”

Umari – “No, but it feels like the problems surfacing now are bound by chaos.”

Laurel – “Alright, I’ll keep working hard to discover what’s going on. At least now we have a name to research, Gerthran.”

Thistle – “That was the person Gelis mentioned, right?”

Laurel – “Yeah. Now I wonder what Lumos uncovered. Thank you for all your help Umari.”

Umari – “You are welcome. Farewell!”

Thistle – “Bye Umari! Hey Laurel let’s get…”

Before Thistle could finish a beam of energy could be seen coming from the castle and heading in the direction of the world portal. Laurel and Thistle made their way to the castle as fast as they could.

Episode 6: Cold Trails

It took the group a few days to finally reach the Frigis Isles. During their trip they were approached by a messenger who revealed that there was an attack on a hidden vault south of Zyrias. This vault contained a number of items including an old pair of greaves, which apparently possessed a hidden power. The self proclaimed agents of chaos were the perpetrators. Their priest knew the necessary rituals to enable the hidden power of the greaves. In the end the artifact was stolen and a number of guards lost their lives. The stakes were becoming higher. King Liros promised to continue their own investigation into these agents of chaos.

Meanwhile, Lord Lindrel had also sent a message to Lumos. In it he mentioned that the council considered the agents of chaos a serious threat. Despite this, the true nature of their attacks, their leadership and their final goal remained elusive. Lindrel encouraged Lumos to continue their search for artifacts.

The Frigis Isles are an interconnected archipelago. They are linked by frozen plains and glaciers. Constant cold temperatures dominate this region. Water magic is strong here and many use this to train with this element. The village that contains the Ixis world portal is named Seasprite. It is one of the few villages to continue growing despite the removal of the old trials. Sprites, as the name implies, have also made their home here. They are distantly related to wisps, so Thistle felt it necessary to try and make some new friends. To her dismay the sprites were too shy and often dissipated in a puff of mist at her presence. She would not give up of course, and continued to try all the way, going deeper and deeper into the village. While Thistle searched for a new friend to make, Laurel and Lumos had already geared up with warm clothes and practiced a few spells they would need.

Lumos – “You got the gist of it fairly quickly. Remember to keep that water mana tether within reach in your mind.”

Laurel – “I feel like the contrast between fire magic and water magic has helped me with distinguishing each of those elements. Even more so now with the Ring of Flames.”

Lumos – “That’s good, you’ll be our own great heroine in no time.”

Laurel – “Did you learn anymore of her while I was doing the trial?”

Lumos – “Well, Zethia didn’t say much. We were too focused on you. She did mention Lydia was a master of all the elements. She could draw power from the Andraconus with ease.”

Laurel – “It must have been amazing to see her in action.”

Lumos – “Another thing Zethia mentioned was that she could use a large array of different weapons. I have read that before the great release of the Sentients weapons were locked into specific elements.”

Laurel – “How did that work? Couldn’t someone just pick a weapon and use it?”

Lumos – “Well they could, but the ancient enchantment would make it cumbersome and even dangerous. Each weapon had easier access to the mana of the element that it was tied to. Only by mastering the flow of mana of the particular element could a person also master its bound weapon. Of course, that’s all in the past.”

Laurel – “Those ancient enchantments are both strange and powerful.”

Lumos – “I was at a summit of scholars where these things were discussed. Many of us said that those ancient enchantments could be tied to the old gods, or perhaps to other such deities who refuse to show themselves. Even the very worlds themselves are suspected to be held together by magic and enchantments.”

Laurel – “That is a fascinating, but complicated subject, can we move on? Let’s see if we can make it to the world portal.”

Lumos – “Yes, yes of course. Did you get that last spell I told you about? It’ll protect you from the cold temperatures.”

Laurel – “I did, but why not use fire magic?”

Lumos – “The world of water magic holds little to no fire mana. You probably won’t have enough of it to warm yourself up. Instead water magic will adapt your body and there is plentiful water mana.”

Laurel – “Ah, I see. Well, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Shortly after their conversation, and as they walked down the main road in the middle of the village, Thistle arrived with a sprite that had tagged along with her.

Thistle – “Hey! I made a friend! His name is Gelis. He can guide us to the world portal.”

Gelis – “Hello, I apologize if other sprites have been less than hospitable. Many of us don’t like the attention.”

Laurel – “It’s alright, but Thistle, the world portal is at the end of this road, we don’t really need a guide.”

Thistle – “After all the hard work of finding a friendly sprite?”

Gelis – “You did explain to them why you were doing this, right Thistle?”

Thistle – “Uuh…”

Lumos – “And why is that?”

Gelis – “Thistle’s fire alignment puts her in direct opposition to the flow of mana from the world. She would survive but will most likely not be able to cast too many spells. She said to me she doesn’t want to feel useless.”

Thistle – “Hey! I did not give you permission to say that, but it’s the truth. So yeah, I don’t just want to be a spectator.”

Laurel – “Oh Thistle, don’t worry about it.”

Gelis – “I can still provide some guidance. I have been to Ixis many times.”

Lumos – “That would be swell. Let us continue.”

The group, now with Gelis included, continued their march towards the world portal. Once there, a nearby spell master recognized that they had already learned the necessary spells required to survive. Soon after the portal lit up. A swirl of water formed and after it cleared a small path of dirt and snow could be seen on the other side.

This time Lumos intended to meet with the sole ruler of Ixis, King Hector the 4th. Part of a long line of rulers whose benevolence is well known. They once had an intense rivalry with Brensur, but that was buried in the past. Now at the other side they noticed the area was surrounded by a large ice wall. A tunnel led to a village just beyond. The guards greeted the group and mentioned that the city glacier, Ixnar, would soon be within reach.

Laurel – “Within reach? What does that mean?”

Gelis – “Transport on Ixis is mostly by boat or enchanted ice platform. The villages and cities here wander the oceans as they are all built on glaciers. We were lucky that Ixnar must be nearing this area now. We should be able to secure passage without too much trouble.”

Laurel – “How did anyone in the past even think of invading? Sounds like a nightmare.

Lumos – “When the worlds were at constant odds with each other merely infusing the general aura with the opposing mana was enough to cause instability. This is why many of the battles were fought in Entralia. The world portals were the key. In ages past some worlds had to seal themselves completely by burying their portal.”

Laurel – “I can’t imagine not having access to one of the worlds.”

Gelis – “Look over there. The dock here is filled with traveling merchants and transport boats. You should be able to hire one of them to reach Ixnar.”

Thistle – “I think I underestimated how terrible I would feel.”

Laurel – “Don’t worry Thistle, we’ll make this quick, hopefully.”

Lumos – “Thistle, you don’t need the fire mana to survive, correct?”

Thistle – “Correct Mr sage. I don’t, but it’s so comforting.”

Lumos – “Well, stay close to Laurel and you should be fine.”

Thistle – “Sounds good.”

What Thistle didn’t notice was that the Ring of Flames provided her with some fire mana. As such she would feel perfectly fine while hovering close to Laurel. In fact Laurel could access a vast amount of fire mana from the ring itself. Her focus on the water magic of the world prevented her from feeling the energy contained within the artifact.

While walking down the wharf a woman approached them and introduced herself as Captain Hanna.

Hanna – “Obviously I can take you to Ixnar, if you have the coin.”

Laurel – “Well we d…”

Gelis – “I am their guide here, and they will take them to the transport of my choosing.”

Hanna – “Oh is that so little sprite? I can make sure you get there within the hour!”

Lumos – “Interesting, how would you manage that?”

Hanna – “I have my ways. No other transport here can assure you of that.”

Lumos – “We are in a bit of a hurry, perhaps we should take her offer?”

Gelis – “Fine then, but I am warning you this is a mistake.”

Lumos gathered some coins he had in a pouch and gave them to Hanna. In return she led them to her ship. When they arrived she told them to hang on. The captain had done this for many years apparently and was notorious for being able to do exactly as she says. The cost however is a rather bad reputation. She uses magic and her knowledge of wind and water spells to move her ship along. The large sails catch the wind as she casts it and the waters can be altered to be in whatever way she needs them. Any ships near her would have to manage the waters, often to calm the waves as her ship blasts on by. As the trip began, Laurel and Thistle were ecstatic. On the other hand Lumos was hanging on for dear life. In the end Captain Hanna was right on the mark when she said she could take them to Ixnar within the hour. At the Ixnar docks their arrival called everyone’s attention for a few seconds. Hanna’s arrival was always a bit of a spectacle.

Lumos got off the ship, rather shaken from the trip. Gelis floated near him. Laurel stepped onto the dock beaming with energy. It was an exhilarating trip for her. Behind her Hanna stopped Thistle and whispered to her that she should keep an eye or two on their sprite companion. Thistle found this odd, but told Hanna she could keep it in mind.

Lumos – “Oof, that was an intense trip. I hope I don’t have to do that again.”

Laurel – “Oh please, that was nothing. If anything, we should hire Hanna again for the trip back!”

Hanna – “Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I’ll probably be here in Ixnar for a while. If we coincide again you can travel with me, free of charge.”

Laurel – “Great!”

Lumos – “Fine, but next time I might just conjure myself to sleep.”

The great city of Ixnar lay before them. Many homes are made of snow and ice blocks. A large crystal-like castle stands in the middle of the city. It is clear what their next destination is.

Episode 5: Trial of Dragons

The world of Brensur opened up before them. Laurel, Lumos and Thistle arrived at the city of Zyrias to meet with the king. They needed to gather what information they could on the artifacts that might lie on Brensur. The fiery world was a hostile environment to anyone that was not prepared for its blazing heat. Despite this, the city was bustling with trade, commerce and children running around. It was a lively walk from the gate to the castle. The massive structure had the tower they saw earlier connected by a long bridge. Inside the castle, which was mostly made of black stone lined with gold, large rooms inspired awe and admiration. Channels of lava provided ample light to all the corridors and rooms. The throne room itself had an intricate display of manipulation of the lava flows as well as a small lava fall. Thistle followed Laurel closely while Lumos led the way. As soon as they reached the center of the throne room they were greeted by the king.

King Liros – “Hail, Sage Lumos of Entralia. How are you these days?”

Lumos – “Hail! King Liros of Brensur, I am well. How fares your majesty?”

King Liros – “Pah, tired of all the formalities like the rest of us. Our rule remains unchanged, but we are eager to do what Rallion and Entralia have already done.”

Lumos – “I see. I have heard that the queen of Jenehrtes has had trouble organizing their own council.”

King Liros – “Yes well, some of the kingdoms are not entirely ready for such changes. But enough of that, what brings you to me?”

Lumos – “King Liros, may I present Laurel, daughter of councilman Lindrel of Entralia, and our companion Thistle.”

King Liros – “Ah, traveling again are we? It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Laurel – “Likewise, er, my king.”

Thistle – “Hello Mr. high and mighty.”

King Liros – “Hah! She’s a charming one, your travels must be fun. I knew a feisty wisp a long time ago. Her companion was once the great heroine that saved the worlds multiple times. Alas she disappeared many years ago. She became very wise and respected. Perhaps you will learn more of her as you travel.”

Laurel – “Thistle can be a handful, but she’s a strong and loyal friend.”

King Liros – “I do not doubt it.”

Lumos – “So, yes, we have been traveling, but at the request of Lord Lindrel. Laurel here is learning about artifacts and such. We have only started but our current clues led us here. Do you, perhaps, know of any that are currently here in Brensur.”

King Liros – “I have little knowledge of artifacts, but perhaps the queen will know more. She is more knowledgeable in that area as she spends quite some time at the castle library. Guards, please summon her. She is likely to be in the garden now.”

While they waited for the queen Lumos and King Liros exchanged stories of their travels. Meanwhile Laurel and Thistle waited, somewhat impatiently. Thistle floated above Laurel, moving side to side. After a short moment the queen arrived.

King Liros – “Hello dear, we require of your knowledge.”

Lumos – “Ah, Queen Brenhilde, it is an honor.”

Queen Brenhilde – “Indeed it is. I am grateful to see you again, Sage Lumos. I will never forget the teachings you brought with you when you first visited Brensur.”

Lumos – “Oh that was long ago, surely things have changed?”

Queen Brenhilde – “Perhaps a little, but I digress. I hear you are searching for artifacts?”

Lumos – “Yes, we are.”

Queen Brenhilde – “In the countless books in the castle library only a few mention some of the ancient weapons crafted in the Lava Forge. Said forge was removed by the dragons. You will have to consult them for more information. As for the artifacts themselves we only know of one that might, or might not be with the dragons.”

Lumos – “I see. Is there a way we can arrange a meeting with them.”

King Liros – “They have become more reclusive in recent times. We used to have dragons even here in the castle, but they have mostly retreated to the northern volcanoes.”

Queen Brenhilde – “I can send a message forth and ask for…”

A guard came running from outside the throne room. He reported that a number of dragons had arrived from the northern reaches and asked to speak with the travelers.

King Liros – “Incredible, how would they know of you?”

Queen Brenhilde – “Oh Liros, the dragons have their ways. Let us meet with them at once. Come!”

Laurel was curious about the dragons so she ran out towards the courtyard where they had landed. Four of them flanked a large red dragon.

Laurel – “Whoa”

Zethia – “Hello young one, I am Zethia, leader of the dragons here in Brensur. King Liros, Queen Brenhilde, it is an honor to see you once again.”

Queen Brenhilde – “Zethia, it has been many years. You have grown into a mighty dragon.”

Zethia – “The time with Lidya served me well.”

Laurel – “Who…? The heroine?”

Zethia – “Ah, I forget your people often misplace such names of importance, yes, the great heroine.”

Lumos – “Goodness, I wonder why no one bothered to consult the very beings who still have memory of those times.”

Zethia – “Hello Sage Lumos, I have heard many great things of you. While we do have memories of those times we have been far from humans for decades now.”

Lumos – “Fascinating, and to what do we owe this special visit?”

Zethia – “The girl carries an item of importance. We felt its energy, faint as it is, but it is unique.”

Laurel – “The ringblade? This old rusted thing?”

Zethia – “Yes. Arlos, Zenoth, please bear these travelers to our realm.”

Lumos – “We are to travel with you?”

Zethia – “Yes. We will answer all other questions there.”

Queen Brenhilde – “Well, this is very fortunate. Sage Lumos, use your time with them wisely. You will surely discover many things.”

King Liros – “Go then, and please be careful in your travels.”

Lumos – “Indeed, farewell then.”

Zethia – “To the sky!”

Laurel and Lumos mounted the dragons. In a short moment they were in the sky flying at incredible speeds northward. Thistle flew as fast as she could but was nearly left behind. It took but a few minutes to reach the dragon realm. It was a wondrous sight as many dragons, young and old, flew around the region. Many volcanoes were nestled close to each other, near them a vast valley spread out. It was here that the dragons landed and proceeded to move to a cavern nearby.

Zethia – “Welcome to the Lava Forge. This device, a relic of an age gone by, was used to create some of the artifacts you seek.”

Laurel – “What is that floating just above?”

Zethia – “Very perceptive. That is the mighty weapon of power forged by the dragons. It is called the Andraconus.”

Laurel – “Why does it look like that? It seems… powerless?

Lumos – “Legend holds that only one weapon of power may be active in the seven worlds.”

Zethia – “Correct. The Andraconus, in a sense, sleeps. The Twins of Power should also look like this. Darkened and seemingly covered with rust.”

Laurel – “Then there must be an active weapon of power.”

Zethia – “Yes, we suspect that ringblade of yours might be it, but it does not look complete. Something is missing from it or else its full strength would be felt across the worlds.”

Laurel – “This old thing? It’s half rusted.”

Zethia – “There is something else here. A ring, which might seem like a common thing to you, but it holds a gem. This gem is called the Ruby of Flames.”

Laurel – “I don’t see it.”

Zethia – “Come with me.”

The group walked to a stone terrace that overlooked the valley. To its side a group of orbs floated and formed a path to another volcano.

Zethia – “This here is the challenge that you must complete. It is a trial of our own making. If you succeed in it you may claim the ring.”

Laurel – “Wait what? Really? Seems simple enough.”

Lumos – “Laurel you will need to use that ringblade and your magical energy to sling between each orb. If you run out of mana or miss an orb you could fall to your death. It’s too dangerous.”

Thistle – “Nonsense! I know Laurel can do it!”

Laurel – “Thanks Thistle, but I agree with Lumos.”

Zethia – “If you do not trust in your own abilities you will not be able to claim the ring. Is this artifact not what you were after?”

Laurel – “Well yes, and knowing that those warriors we encountered before might be after this just gives me more motivation.”

Thistle – “Just be careful and you’ll do fine. I could fly off to the other side, that way you can see how far you have to go.”

Zethia – “You cannot help her get through. She must do this on her own. It is the nature of such a trial.”

Laurel – “Alright. Thistle, you’ll be my guiding light.”

Drawing her ringblade and hovering it over her hand, Laurel prepared to take this trial. Using light magic to form a tether to the ringblade, she could launch it to an orb, attach and then swing to the next one. It would be a difficult task to maintain the tether as well as the right balance of energy to launch the ringblade to each orb. In the first quarter of the course Laurel missed one of the orbs and fell. Luckily one of the dragons nearby swooped in, caught her midair and placed her back at the start. Lumos nearly fainted and Thistle was about to rush after her but saw the dragon that saved Laurel. Thistle noticed that there were a lot of dragons flying around the course. The true danger was an illusion. These dragons were ready to swoop in at a moment’s notice to rescue Laurel if she fell again, though Zethia warned that picking her up would not happen again. This was a test of courage as much as a test of skill. Laurel needed to show her skill to wield the ringblade and channel energy.

The fall had made her heart race. Still, she tried to slow down and analyze the course before trying again. Taking slow, deep breaths she thought of a plan to make her way easier. A simple spell that would place a small plume of dark energy onto each orb. This could be combined with another spell placed on the ringblade to make it home in on the dark energy and dissipate it once it latched onto an orb. Without hesitation Laurel jumped from the edge of the terrace and made her way through the course. One after another she cleared each orb. Before reaching the last one she fell again, but this time there were no dragons nearby to catch her. Thistle watched in despair, but then noticed an opening on the side of the volcano. Laurel noticed this as well and proceeded to launch the ringblade spinning at great speed downward. The weapon widened the opening further and smoothed out the tunnel to remove any obstacles. At the end of the tunnel she arrived at a chamber with a pedestal.

Laurel – “Was this the place I was supposed to reach? What’s that?”

She walked towards the pedestal. Just above it was a ring with a gemstone that was a mix of ruby and obsidian. After grabbing it and trying to put it on, it adjusted its size to her finger. A magically adjusted perfect fit. Laurel had acquired the Ring of Flames. Shortly after that Thistle arrived.

Thistle – “Oh thank goodness, you’re safe!”

Laurel – “Yes, and look! I found the ring!”

Thistle – “What an odd combination for a gem.”

Laurel – “I can feel my connection to fire magic becoming stronger. It’s like I’ve used fire magic my entire life. I think you’ll have to teach me some of your tricks, Thistle.”

Thistle – “Sure, I think I can help you learn a spell or two.”

Laurel – “That would be great. I think there’s a way up through here.”

Thistle – “Yeah, you were supposed to arrive at the platform above, but you took a shortcut.”

Laurel – “I was lucky that tunnel was there.”

Thistle – “It wasn’t just that, your management of the ringblade was swift. I think you’re getting the hang of it.”

Laurel – “I still have a long way to go though, but with you and Lumos I will master this in no time.”

Thistle – “That’s the spirit! Let’s rejoin the others.”

Laurel and Thistle climbed the steps that led to the upper terrace. Once there Laurel noticed the orbs had disappeared. Zethia arrived along with Lumos and a few other dragons.

Zethia – “Well done Laurel! Though that last bit there scared us all.”

Laurel – “All part of the plan.”

Lumos – “I am glad you’re safe. Lindrel would have my head.”

Laurel – “For sure. Look, I got the ring!”

Lumos – “Excellent! We finally acquired an artifact.”

Laurel – “Yes! The ring contained a spell that passes down ancient knowledge. It feels like I’ve worn it my whole life. This magic revealed to me that this ring is called the Ring of Flames. For some reason it has a counterpart. Its power can guide me to it, which means we could be already well on our way to the next artifact.”

Lumos – “Fascinating! Zethia do you know of this counterpart?”

Zethia – “We have only ever guarded the ring here. It never reacted to any previous visitors nor do we know of anyone mentioning a counterpart before. It is possible that this counterpart is not on Brensur.”

Laurel – “Previous visitors?”

Zethia – “Many years ago this area was visited by people sometimes, yet the power of the ring remained dormant. It was only recently that the orbs and the ring itself began to react.”

This area, due to its volcanic nature, had a constant low rumble. Slowly this sound began to become louder and the ground started to shake. Zethia ordered everyone to retreat to the valley. Shortly after they left the volcano erupted and an energy stream could be seen traveling outward in the direction of the world portal. Lumos pondered the significance of this and quickly remembered what had happened when they acquired Laurel’s ringblade.

Lumos – “It seems these events are all connected.”

Laurel – “You saw that too, right?”

Lumos – “We will have to investigate further.”

Zethia – “These volcanoes are rarely as active as that one. That energy must have stirred something within it.”

Lumos – “Our previous encounters with this energy had a similar impact. We must continue to seek out these artifacts, they might be the key to understanding more.”

Zethia – “Very well then, my companions will fly you back to Zyrias. Take care and keep the ring safe.”

Laurel – “I will, goodbye Zethia.”

Laurel, Lumos and Thistle made it back to the castle and reported their findings to the king. They talked about the trial, the mysterious energy, the warriors of chaos and the Ring of Flames.

Laurel – “…the ring is now bound to me. I tried taking it off once before but it seems stuck.”

King Liros – “I believe that the ring has chosen you, much like previous weapons of power choose their users.”

Queen Brenhilde – “It is odd that an artifact would act in such a manner. We know that weapons of power have powerful ancient enchantments that bind them, but to have such an effect on a particular artifact is unheard of until now.”

Lumos – “We also discovered that this ring has a counterpart. Laurel can tell you more.”

Laurel – “The knowledge possessed by the ring itself points to something in Ixis. Whenever I think about that world I feel a sense of familiarity.”

King Liros – “There isn’t much else we can do but bestow our blessings upon you. We trust that you will do good by this artifact.”

Queen Brenhilde – “Indeed, and as you have said there may be more to all of this. Be ever watchful.”

Lumos – “We will, now, we must depart. It looks like Ixis is our next step in this little adventure of ours.”

King Liros – “Then go and make certain those chaos warriors you mentioned don’t cause trouble.”

Laurel and Lumos bowed and left the throne room. Thistle followed closely. They talked about the ordeal and the encounter with the dragons. Laurel was fairly exhausted by the trial so they decided to take a rest before leaving Brensur for good. An inn at the edge of the city was their choice to spend the night.

Episode 4: Fiery Passage

The trip to the world portal for Brensur, located in the volcanic region of Fernal, was fairly long. Lumos told Laurel to take the time to rest as it would take them a few hours to reach their destination. Laurel did exactly that, but promptly fell asleep. They traveled by using one of the transport wagons that made regular trips to the different world portals.

Within her mind a unique scene unfolded. She was walking down a path. At each crossroads she was asked a question. Each time she answered correctly the mysterious figure that had asked the question pointed her towards the safe path. It was a trial of sorts. One that initially caught her off guard. Her knowledge allowed her to traverse the dream safely. At the end of the path she encountered the figure again.

Laurel – “Is this the end of it?”

Mysterious figure – “It is the beginning. You hold the key to the coming battle. It seems it is in good hands. You’ve done well.”

Laurel – “What was the purpose of this trial?”

Mysterious figure – “To judge worthiness, and you have proven that without a doubt. It would be best if you honed your combat skills to match your wit and knowledge.”

Laurel – “But, I don’t want to fight.”

Mysterious figure – “In the end, that will not be up to you. Farewell.”

Laurel woke up. By now they had reached the village that surrounded the Brensur world portal. She remembered the dream vividly and questioned if it had really happened. Perhaps it was some kind of light spell. Before she could continue pondering what had happened, Thistle called to Laurel.

Thistle – “Hey Laurel! Get off the wagon, grab your things and let’s go!

Laurel – “Oh, yeah, I’ll be right with you.”

Lumos had already gotten off the wagon and had begun walking towards the area where the portal stands. Laurel quickly joined him.

Laurel – “You seem eager.”

Lumos – “It has been some time since I stepped into one of the worlds. The experience is so unique. Traveling like this is always exhilarating.”

Thistle – “It’s just a world of fire, nothing to get so worked up about.”

Laurel – “Thistle don’t be rude. You know our lives are fleeting compared to yours.”

Thistle – “Sorry.”

Lumos – “It is quite alright. I think we should focus on the task at hand. There is a protective spell that we need to practice before leaving. It will guard from the extreme heat that permeates Brensur.”

Laurel – “Alright, let’s get going then.”

The scorching heat of Brensur was nowhere near what they were currently experiencing in this village. The Fernal region of Entralia was the preferred training ground of those who sought to master fire magic. Eventually they gained access to Brensur where they could further hone their skill. Mastery of fire magic, or learning the appropriate protection spell was enough to be allowed access to Brensur. Decades ago a rigorous, and sometimes deadly, trial had to be undertaken to both learn and master fire magic.

The village, once known as a council village, held a number of people that worked for the royal family of Brensur. That number has dwindled to a handful. Those who still work at the village are mostly guards or spell masters. Spell masters are known for their vast knowledge of magic and are usually the ones who bestow useful spells necessary to traverse a world. One such spell master is a good friend of Lumos.

Lumos – “Ah, look who it is, Marcus, how have you been?”

Marcus – “Lumos! I am doing very well and I see you’re traveling again.”

Lumos – “Yes, I am here with Laurel, daughter of councilman Lindrel, and Thistle. We’re searching for ancient artifacts and were told Brensur might have a clue for us to follow.”

Marcus – “A pleasure to meet you, Lady Laurel and Thistle.”

Laurel – “Hello, you two seem well acquainted.”

Marcus – “Lumos and I used to study under the same sage. Until he decided to take the trial challenge. We eventually met up again multiple times during his travels. Especially when he was visiting Brensur. Much like today.”

Lumos – “Indeed, and we have kept in touch for a long time as well. We often exchange stories through letters and the like.”

Marcus – “Well then, I have the scroll here ready. Read it and cast the spell upon yourselves. Once you’re done, return the scroll and I shall open the portal.”

Thistle – “I’ll go ahead and wait near the portal.”

Laurel – “Alright, we’ll catch up soon.”

After reading the scroll Laurel concentrated her magic to cast the spell. Fire magic had to be focused on and channeled through the body. Reaching outward with the mind and learning to tap into the energy of a particular element was difficult the first time. This is often why few people learn or master more than one element. Thankfully the intricacies of learning Balance magic allowed Laurel to quickly find the fire energy she required. This region also made it easier since there was plenty of fire energy to go around. Laurel could feel as the heat around her became nothing more than a gentle breeze. Her body was now adapted to the scorching temperature.

Lumos, having traveled these lands before, had already cast the spell upon himself. Once he saw Laurel had successfully activated the spell he began walking towards the portal.

Marcus – “You seem all set. I will open the portal shortly.”

Laurel – “Yeah, it was easy. I hope we get to travel to the other worlds as well, if this is all it takes to enter them.”

Marcus – “Some elements might be easier to learn than others. I’ve known people who have different affinities for different elements. Since you have a good grasp of balance magic I have no doubt you won’t have any troubles.”

A fiery maelstrom formed in the middle of the world portal. When it cleared the shimmering image of a dominantly red landscape formed. The figures of guards could be seen standing on the sides.

Marcus – “Portal is stable, you’re all set. Safe travels!”

Lumos – “Thank you Marcus. The next time we meet I might have a lot more stories to tell.”

Marcus – “And I will surely enjoy them. See you, and good luck!”

Laurel – “Farewell Marcus.”

Thistle – “Bye!”

The three adventurers passed through the portal. They materialized on the other side in an instant. Laurel looked back and now the shimmering image on the portal showed the village. Marcus could also be seen waving at them. Continuing their walk forward, the guards welcomed them to Brensur. After a short moment the portal shut off and the image disappeared in another fiery blaze. Laurel could still feel some of the heat. She had to adjust the energy she was using to better protect herself. Lumos mentioned that she would eventually get used to it and that the spell would become second nature.

Thistle – “What now?”

Lumos – “Now we need to meet with the king.”

Laurel – “That means we’re headed for the capital, Zyrias.”

Thistle – “That sounds great, I’m sure there will be a lot of unique architecture and people and shops!”

Laurel – “Yes, but remember that our priority is finding artifacts.”

Thistle – “I’m sure we’ll find that easy, you’ll see.”

Lumos – “It’s good to see such confidence. I will confer with the guards to see how we can secure a meeting with the king.”

The guards quickly recognized Lumos and gave him permission to continue to the capital. Once there they could go to the throne room for the meeting.

Laurel’s initial impression of Brensur was that of a hostile world, but she quickly grew to enjoy the scenery once she started seeing the contrasting colors of the trees. As she admired the area, Thistle flew around basking in the overflowing energy of the fiery world. To her it was blissful since she was aligned with the element of fire. Lumos noticed Laurel’s curiosity towards the trees and explained that they were completely fireproof. Those same trees were grown near the capital and used to build many of the houses. A combination of fire and earth magic enabled these trees to be harvested and renewed.

Looking to the sky Laurel noticed a large dark shadow moving at high speed towards the north. She assumed it was one of the fabled dragons of Brensur. The Sentient tribe was well known even outside this world. Dragons in the seven worlds are plentiful, they all have unique traits based on the world they live in.

As they continued their trip through the fiery fields and towering obsidian pillars, the group encountered a pair of wisps.

Thistle – “Oh no, this is just what I didn’t want to see.”

Thalis – “Well look who it is Themia, the reject wisp Thistle.”

Themia – “It really is. I thought you said she would never return to Brensur.”

Laurel – “Whoa, you two are mean.”

Thalis – “Urgh and traveling with humans no less.”

Thistle – “Watch what you say! These are my friends.”

Themia – “Pah! That’s what you said about that other human you traveled with years ago and look where that got you.”

Laurel – “What are you talking about?”

Thistle – “It’s nothing Laurel, let’s keep going. These two just want trouble.”

Thalis – “We won’t waste more of our time, but make sure you’re prepared next time we meet.”

Themia – “There might be a test for you by then!”

The two wisps flew off into the distance. Laurel and Lumos were confused by the exchange.

Laurel – “Are you alright Thistle?”

Thistle – “I’ll be fine. This is why I wasn’t too fond of coming here.”

Lumos – “Would you like to talk about what they mentioned?”

Thistle – “I will, but not now. It’s a painful subject.”

Laurel – “Ok Thistle, just make sure to tell us. It seems like it weighs heavily on you.”

Thistle – “Thanks Laurel.”

Thistle flew ahead, surveying the landscape and keeping watch for the great city. Both Laurel and Lumos were taken aback by the exchange between the wisps. Their longevity is well known, but the inner workings of what wisps do with their lives is a mystery. Many take to accompany humans or other Sentients, often lending their vast magical power to aid these companions. It was rare to see such a hostile conversation between them.

Sometime after the encounter with the wisps Thistle noticed a large tower. On the side of a large volcanic mountain was the city of Zyrias. The city spread down the entire side of the mountain to a small valley. At the city gates the guards mentioned that they were being expected. Communication crystals were commonly placed in such places of importance to hasten diplomatic communication, and sometimes, for military communication. Soon it would be time to face the king and ask about the artifact or artifacts hidden on Brensur.

Episode 3: A Taste of Chaos

Two days after exploring the ruins of Illistria, Laurel, Lumos and Thistle waited patiently for a message from Lord Lindrel. Lumos reported their findings and now sits at a bench near the main plaza of the village. He’s reading a book on the history of the village, called Jaunr, and how it is connected to the great heroine. Apparently she called this place her home for many years, but after some time she left disappearing with everything except her unquestionable legacy. Meanwhile, Laurel and Thistle were on a nearby field practicing with the newly found ringblade. The weapon was proving unwieldy for Laurel to handle. Thistle tried her best to encourage Laurel to keep trying, but her patience was running out.

Laurel – “Urgh, this is hopeless. I guess I can keep trying some basic forms, but this thing is so unruly.”

Thistle – “Laurel, this isn’t something that you’ll get immediately after trying for the first time. Only with a lot of practice can you master a weapon like this.”

Laurel – “Maybe I can study more forms from books.”

Thistle – “The books will show you the fundamentals, but you will still need to practice, like I said.”

Laurel – “You’re right, I guess I’ll just keep at it. Is Lumos still reading at the plaza?”

Thistle flew up, looked towards the plaza, then flew back down.

Thistle – “Yep, he’s still there.”

Laurel – “Let’s join up with him, we should be hearing from father soon.”

While Laurel and Thistle made their way back to Lumos, a small scroll appeared before him. It contained a message from Lindrel telling them to head to Brensur and that there were rumors of another artifact there. They would have to speak with the king of that world about it to learn more.

Laurel – “Still reading up on history Lumos?”

Lumos – “Actually, a message just arrived. Your father wants us to go to Brensur. Apparently the royal family knows about an artifact hidden there.”

Laurel – “What else did he say?”

Lumos – “He said to be careful and that we did good work at the ruins. He’s worried about the energy that was released and that he would commission an investigation from the council.”

Laurel – “Well, that’s progress. Shall we head to the Inn to pack up?”

Lumos – “Indeed.”

Thistle – “I’ll go ahead, see you there!”

Shortly after flying off, Thistle reached the Inn and entered the room they had rented through one of the windows. For a while she floated around examining the room, then moved outside and floated high above the building. Near the entrance of the village a group of people caught her attention. Some of them were heavily armored. They were accompanied by what seemed to be a priest of sorts with a unique set of robes. She continued to observe them as they stopped. Two of the armored warriors and the priest continued into the village. Laurel and Lumos were just about to enter the Inn when the priest approached them.

Priest – “You there! You are that renowned sage Lumos, correct?”

Lumos – “Yes, who might you be?”

Priest – “My name is Garan, I am a priest of chaos. I believe you discovered something in some ruins nearby, hand it over.”

Lumos – “Priest of chaos? What nonsense is this? You have no claim to our discovery!”

Garan – “Then you forfeit whatever peace this village once had.”

Laurel – “If you want the artifact then you’ll have to fight for it.”

Garan – “You leave us no choice. Warriors! Bring chaos to this place and its people.”

The warriors near the entrance of the village began to spread out. Some lit fires, others engaged people at random. Village guards scrambled to contain the fires and protect the populace. Thistle had flown around the village and warned some of the guards that were on the opposite side of the village to ensure they could arrive in time to reinforce the rest. She rejoined Laurel and Lumos shortly after. At first Laurel was hesitant to use the ringblade artifact for fear of losing it. Only two warriors were aiding the priest. When the first warrior charged she dodged to the side and used her magic to push him to the ground. The second one moved closer, but instead of charging in he was more tactical in his approach. Every swing was measured and well timed. This warrior showed more experience, all Laurel could do was use her swiftness to dance around his attacks. As she fought the two warriors Lumos faced the priest. It was an unseen battle. In their minds they prepared spells and counterspells. Despite his age Lumos had vast knowledge of magic. Garan was aware that any mistake would result in his failure. Laurel was scratched on her right arm by one of the warriors, her short scream of pain called Lumos’ attention. This was the opportunity that Garan was waiting for, he launched an orb of darkness toward Lumos. The great sage was ready though. To counter he redirected the orb to one of the warriors fighting Laurel. The dark spell hit his armor and cracked it as if it had decayed. Lumos then fired his own spell, a spear made of light that hit his target on his left shoulder. Garan was stunned at how swiftly Lumos was able to perform his spells. The spear flashed with energy and disrupted Garan’s access to the mana flow. Without the energy to cast more spells the priest was defeated. Meanwhile Laurel had to use the ringblade to defend herself. She used the weapon to deflect some of the attacks that the warriors made. They kept pushing her back further and further. At one point she launched the rindblade to attack, but the energy channeled to it was too strong and it flew off, passed between Lumos and Garan and finally embedded itself on the wall of the Inn. Thistle knew Laurel was in danger so she called upon her magic and sent forth a fiery wind against the warriors. Their heavy steel armor quickly became a sort of oven. The warriors had to retreat behind Garan. These agents of chaos had failed their attack. The village guards pushed the others back. Lumos saw the opportunity to drive them away for good and used the now released ringblade to tear the armor off the warriors behind Garan. His movements were quick and precise. The warriors tried to deflect but a combination of light beams kept them out of balance. When Lumos was done, the warriors’ armor had been sliced to ribbons and fell apart as they ran off.

Garan – “You are a formidable opponent Lumos, I will remember this.”

Lumos – “Take your agents of chaos from here and do not come back.”

Garan sounded the retreat. There were no casualties from either side. Fires damaged some of the structures but it was nothing that could not be repaired with ease. The captain of the guard thanked Thistle for giving the alert as well as to Laurel and Lumos for aiding in the fight.

Laurel – “The old sage indeed does have some moves. Where did you learn to use a ringblade?”

Lumos – “Well, by my age you should know that the trials were still active. I undertook the trials of light and darkness. Both pretty grueling in their own right. Then I undertook the Ribashkan, or the trial of balance. From there I mastered the use of a ringblade for combat. Oh, by the way, you misplaced this.”

Lumos handed the ancient ringblade back to Laurel.

Laurel – “Why give it back to me? I’m obviously pretty bad at it.”

Lumos – “Your current experience with the ringblade may be lacking, but I am sure that with practice you can learn to master it, no trial needed.”

Thistle – “Don’t give up on it Laurel.”

Laurel – “If you insist, but be careful I don’t end up cutting off an arm or an ear.”

Lumos – “I will help teach you.”

Laurel – “Why didn’t you tell me about your experiences? You’re quite the fighter.”

Lumos – “I hesitated because I did not think it would be necessary. Now I fear things have changed. Your father’s intuition was correct. There are some hostile players moving in the background. We must uncover their plans. For now, we know they are on the same path as us, seeking artifacts.”

Thistle – “It’s probably not to help the world.”

Laurel – “Do you think they had anything to do with what we saw at the ruins.”

Lumos – “It is possible they are connected, but we will need more information. We should prepare to leave. I don’t know if we’ll meet them again, but we’d best make haste for Brensur.”

Laurel and Lumos grabbed their few possessions from the room at the Inn. As they did this, Thistle surveyed from high above the village. She could still somewhat make out the silhouettes of the warriors and the priest, though they eventually disappeared in the horizon. Laurel also patched up the cut on her arm. The history book that Lumos had been reading was left with the innkeeper so that he could return it to the nearby library.

Episode 2: The Ruins of Illistria

The Sentients is the collective term given to all the different creatures who possess a sense of self. Humans coined the term in ancient times when the Sentients were imprisoned using the energy of the weapons known as the Twins of Power. The release of these creatures brought its own conflicts, but also great allies. Many of them currently live in their own tribes, and some, like Thistle, roam the worlds in search of friendship and adventure. Thistle is a wisp. These spirit-like creatures do not possess a body. They have an innate knowledge of the worlds passed on between them, though they rarely ever meet. Their magical nature gives them the ability to cast powerful spells and they are often aligned strongly with one of the elements. For Thistle, she is highly attuned to the element of fire. Laurel and Thistle met at some point during Laurel’s adventures. They quickly formed a strong bond of friendship and have traveled together for years. After the disappearance of Laurel’s mother, Thistle promised she would help find her. The travels these two have been on have not been successful in that endeavor, but they’ve learned much of the world.

Other Sentients are known to be unique variations of well known creatures. For example, wolves, who are normally small and tend to keep to themselves, have a Sentient counterpart that formed tribes, is much larger and travel Entralia as well as the other worlds. Lumos has mentioned that some of these wolf tribes travel around the ruins. The group will most likely have to speak with them in order to secure safe passage.

Lumos – “I’ve had some dealings with the wolves in this area. They are very adept at finding things with their keen sense of smell and strong earth magic.”

Thistle – “Isn’t there a tribe that also protects the Twins of Power?”

Lumos – “Yes, the tribe of Argaun is legendary. It is said that the wolf that created that tribe fought alongside the great heroine.”

Laurel – “Can we visit them? Sounds like they would know about artifacts and similar items.”

Lumos -”They live far south of here, near the shrine to the weapons. I have also spoken with them during my previous travels. They tend to be a more secretive bunch. So I was able to gain very little from them. I feel like they would rather be left alone.”

Laurel – “Oh, ok. Well, I hope that the wolves around here are more cooperative.”

Lumos – “I’m sure they will help us.”

Laurel – “You mentioned you’ve been here before.”

Lumos – “Right, I should tell you more about the ruins. Most of this once great city has been partly buried in the earth. The remains of some structures can be seen poking out of the ground here and there. Apparently it was the site of a conflict with earth magic users. It was their magic that buried the city and fractured it. In some accounts the destruction is blamed on a spell gone awry.”

Thistle – “Those ancient times sound brutal, was there only conflict between the worlds?”

Lumos – “There was too much of it. During that time the influence of the elements, and their natural rivalries were taken to extreme levels. Suffice to say, much of the history of the seven worlds involves war. Entralia got the worst of it most times. There was free and easy access to the world portals, before the trials were established.”

Laurel – “The trials? Weren’t those recently disbanded?”

Lumos – “Yes, the councils and rulers of the worlds finally decided that the current peacetime had made the trials more of a burden, especially for merchants and traders who simply wanted to move their wares. Some elements still remain. I have read about contests of strength held in the old arenas. Also, the world of dark magic, Zanathas, holds several contests like that throughout the year.”

Thistle – “Zanathas sounds like an exciting place to visit!”

Laurel – “Hey Thistle, they might have fights between wisps.”

Thistle – “I doubt it, wisps aren’t that common around the worlds and you know that.”

Lumos – “Do you know why Thistle?”

Thistle – “Nope.”

Laurel – “Good luck getting any information out of her. Wisps are like that wolf tribe, very secretive about their life and traditions. Believe me I tried a long time ago.”

Lumos – “I’m sure we will learn something at some point. Regardless, back to discussing the ruins. The original name of the city was Illistria. On a trip I took here years ago one of the wolves found a book that had some of the city’s history written down. Among the information in that book there were details about a weapon.”

Laurel – “The one you mentioned in your lecture, correct? There were few details about it.”

Lumos – “Precisely. It might hold some importance, but unless we find it we won’t know for sure.”

Thistle – “Let’s get searching then. I’ll go first!”

Laurel – “And there she goes, so impulsive.”

Lumos – “She seems to take a little after you.”

Thistle flew off into the distance, while Lumos and Laurel continued to walk into the ruins. A number of broken pillars poked out of the ground. There were also the foundations of what could have been a large structure. While Laurel and Lumos were there, a group of wolves approached them.

Wolf – “You there! Why are you h…? Lumos?”

Lumos – “Cain Silva, wolf lord of the Illistria tribe. How are you old friend?”

Cain Silva – “It is good to see you great sage, I am well. Brothers, you may return to your patrols.”

Lumos – “Good to hear. I believe I sent word through the winds that I would be coming here, did you receive my message?”

Cain Silva – “No, I did not. Spells have been disrupted in this area for some time. We have been trying to hone in on the cause, but we have made no progress yet.”

Lumos – “Ah well, no matter. I want you to meet Laurel, daughter of one of the members of the Entralian Council. She is studying with me to learn more about ancient artifacts and items. Another companion of ours is a wisp, whom you’ve no doubt seen flying around. She is rather aloof at times.”

Thistle – “I heard that!”

Laurel – “It’s a pleasure to meet you Cain Silva.”

Cain Silva – “An honor to meet you as well. I sense great balance within you. How are your skills with the magic of this world?”

Laurel – “I’m not a warrior if that’s what you’re asking.”

Lumos – “We are scholars more than anything.”

Cain Silva – “I see, then I don’t recommend staying here too long. This is often the passage of brigands and the tribe cannot protect you all the time. It would be best if you left altogether.”

Laurel – “We can’t leave empty handed. At least let us investigate the cause of the magical disturbance.”

Cain Silva – “Do as you please, I will keep watch. Be mindful that you should leave by nightfall. The ruins are dangerous.”

Lumos – “We understand, do you have any information that may be of use?”

Cain Silva – “I can tell you this, the spell disruptions only started recently. It is a chaotic energy that has no clear origin, yet it is confined to the ruins. We have tried to find the source, but there isn’t a smell to track and as you know spells do not work effectively.”

Laurel – “We’ll try our best to find the source of this.”

The large wolf left towards one of the nearby hills and sat there, ever watchful of the ruins. Meanwhile Laurel, Lumos and Thistle made their way further into the fallen city. Their investigation began in an area with a cluster of broken structures. The winds here blew in different directions.

Laurel – “I can actually feel the mess of an aura emitted from this place. There’s a lot of leftover wind mana.”

Lumos – “Earth magic was the downfall of this ancient city. It is possible that with the balance thrown off, wind magic would begin to manifest as a way to regain that balance. Oddly such a balance should have been restored a long time ago.”

Thistle – “Can we blast some rocks now?”

Laurel – “We will at some point, but we have to be careful for now. I can use some earth magic to shift the ground, but it will be difficult to maintain the spell with how chaotic the energies are around here.”

Thistle – “I think I can help you with that. There is a meditation spell that uses runes of fire magic, it should stabilize your spell.”

Lumos – “We could be digging around blindly for a while, the winds don’t seem to point anywhere specifically. Perhaps…”

Laurel – “Not to be rude Lumos, but if we stand here and do nothing we will never really find anything.”

Lumos – “Your eagerness in this moment is a boon. Fine then, go on and begin your digging, I shall endeavor to examine your progress as well as analyze the effects.”

The energies of Laurel’s spell shifted slightly while Thistle carved fiery runes in the air itself to stabilize it. Parts of the ground moved to the sides and revealed broken pieces of polished stone. It could have been a pillar or a wall. To Laurel it made little difference, there was still no clear indication of where the chaotic energy was emanating from. Meanwhile Lumos watched over them toiling away at different parts of the ruins. In his observations he noticed that the runes carved by Thistle were all looking towards a specific point.

Lumos – “Hold Laurel, dig no further. Thistle you are a genius!”

Thistle – “I am?”

Laurel – “She is?”

Lumos – “Thistle, fly off and look at the way you instinctively placed the runes.”

Thistle – “Well, it seems they all look towards this point here.”

Laurel – “Wait, why is it the fiery runes are clearly showing a path and not earth or wind magic?”

Lumos – “Earth and wind are opposing elements. They influence each other greatly. The chaos of the winds disrupts earth magic. On the other hand earth and fire share a bond, like old friends. Thistle, I believe you’re getting your wish. Blast away at that point.”

Thistle – “Hehe, yes! Converge!”

All the runes written in the air by Thistle flew into the center point they faced and began blasting away pieces of rocks and earth. Slowly a large stone box began to be revealed. It was protected by a thin but powerful field of wind energy.

Laurel – “Could that be the source of the chaos?”

Lumos – “No, the field itself has weakened. A simple earth magic spell might be able to break through.”

Laurel – “Consider it done!”

Lumos – “Wait Laurel don’t…”

Before Lumos could finish talking Laurel had already levitated a large rock from nearby and launched it towards the box. Upon making contact the rock burst into hundreds of pieces and the field dissipated. On top of the stone box was a half rusted ringblade that seemed to act as a key.

Laurel – “Clearly the artifact must be inside this box.”

Lumos – “There are some carved writings on the lower part of the box, but they’re quite faded.”

Laurel – “I’ll keep this with me just in case and open this up.”

Laurel opened the box. A beam of energy flew off into the sky. She looked bewildered as she stared into the open box. There was nothing else inside.

Laurel – “What was that?”

Thistle – “That was your artifact flying off to who knows where. Maybe you’re just being unlucky with these things.”

Laurel – “What do you think Lumos?”

Lumos – “I think we should have read this little bit here before opening the box. It seems like it is a warning, but the part that could have been a description is illegible.”

Laurel – “Oh, well, at least we aren’t leaving empty handed, even if it’s this old half rusted ringblade.”

Lumos – “Allow me to inspect it.”

The great sage used his magic to keep the weapon aloft. The ringblade is a mystic kind of weapon. It can only be held by using a balance of magical energies that keep it a short distance from the hands. They can fly off and return to the user at will. Lumos’ handling of the weapon showed he had some experience using one.

Lumos – “This rusted part is particularly interesting. The craftsmanship used to create a weapon like this has been lost to the ages. I know that in appearance it doesn’t seem like much, but I believe it is as much an artifact as the Twins of Power.”

Laurel – “Really? This thing looks like it could fall apart at any moment. You know what? I’ll keep it for myself. I don’t think anyone would be interested in a damaged weapon anyway. Maybe I can use it to practice.”

Lumos – “Well, now that the chaotic energies are gone perhaps I can prepare a report for your father and send it away using magic.”

Thistle – “Lumos, I could transport the message if you want. I can fly with little rest and be back before you know it.”

Lumos – “Night is almost upon us. The report can wait. Let’s head back to that village we passed, Jaunr was it?”

Laurel – “Sounds good, I think we earned some rest, right Thistle?”

Thistle – “You and your sleeping cycles, urgh.”

Laurel – “Well pardon me for being human.”

Lumos – “Now, now. I will let Cain Silva know of what transpired, surely he will be curious. Go on ahead.”

While Lumos walked toward Cain Silva, Laurel and Thistle made their way to the area where they started their search.

Cain Silva – “It seems you found something. The chaotic energies have faded.”

Lumos – “Indeed, though I worry we might have unwittingly unleashed something. Whatever it was, I fear we will find out soon.”

Cain Silva – “You are wise and your companions are strong, stronger than they realize actually. That girl has an inner might that I have not sensed in a long time.”

Lumos – “She is impulsive but curious. Her natural abilities have yet to shine brightly. That ringblade we found brought many memories to the time I used to wield one. Perhaps I can teach her a thing or two about those weapons.”

Cain Silva – “Are you sure? She is not an heir to the heroine, is she?”

Lumos – “No, at least not in blood. Despite that, I feel like she is the right person to teach.”

After a few minutes, Laurel, Lumos and Thistle were back together and making their way to Jaunr. With the night upon them, they settled at the inn. Lumos sat at a table writing down his report to Lindrel while Laurel and Thistle sat at the window. Laurel stared at the sky. A few clouds passed by, the stars shined brightly.

Episode 1: History Lesson

The city of Balancor bustles with movement. People from across the worlds come here to trade, meet and generally exchange in both culture and goods. This city has become far more than what it originally was, the home of the Entralian Council. The people of this world are hardy and resourceful, a testament to the balance.

Entralia is the world that represents the balance of the elements. Balance magic is known for its spells that use any combination of the elements. The first balance is known as the spiritual, light and darkness, the second is known as the living balance and it includes the other four elements, earth, wind, water and fire. From these, the worlds came to be and later the people that populated them. Each world is unique. They are influenced greatly by the element that birthed them.

Brensur is the world of fire magic. Everything from the trees and animals, to the very people, the influence of this element is evident. The few lands that exist here are a testament of this element’s close relation with earth magic. Most seas are either enormous magma flows or pure flames that flow according to the whims of the elemental core. The world of fire is known to be the home of dragons, fiery salamanders and a multitude of similarly attuned creatures. In the case of the dragons, they have built their dwellings far from the cities of humans. Speaking of cities, the most prominent is known as Zyrias. It is here that resides the seat of power of Brensur. King Liros and Queen Brenhilde are the current rulers.

In high contrast to the flames and fire of Brensur is Ixis. Water magic dominates here with an additional influence of wind magic. Vast seas and frozen continents are common here. Large glaciers often wander these seas. Some of the villages are built upon these glaciers, turning them into roaming homes, though this also makes them hard to find sometimes. The people here, as well as the flora and fauna are very well adapted to the climate, which usually remains at constant cold temperatures. Some of these trees bury their roots in ice, others have developed roots that allow them to float around the seas. The king of Ixis is none other than King Hector IV. Part of a long line of rulers that live within the great city of ice, Ixnar.

The world of Rallion is one of the oddest. The magic of wind dominates here. A few landmasses exist, despite the low amount of earth magic. This is also why those landmasses float in the air, along with the cities that people have built. The few creatures that live here all call the skies their home and often live in seclusion beneath the continents. Water often has to be harvested from clouds directly, but wind magic users are adept in manipulating the flows. The people of Rallion are known to conjure wings to travel around. They were also the first to transition from the old monarchy to a council system similar to Entralia. For the merchants who are not adept with wind magic, many portals were built to facilitate their travel. One favored destination is, of course, the capital, called Alto.

Lush green forests, vast unyielding deserts, tall cliffs and mountains dominate the lands of Grentis. Those forests are fed with plentiful small rivers and the desert’s warmth is offset by chilling nights. This is a world with its own unique balance, despite the dominance of earth magic. Due to the diverse landscape, the variety of plants and animals alike is vast. The capital city of Grentis is located deep within a cavern. This underground haven, named Kalvar, is filled with a variety of glowing plants and mushrooms. Kalvar’s resources include incredibly large deposits of metals. Caves full of crystals can also be found here.

The remaining two elements influence the spiritual more than the physical. Their worlds can represent the complexities of the mind as well as the spirit. One of these is Jenehrtes, the world of light. Many believe that most of what is seen here is an illusion cast by the world itself. The core of light shows this world as a colorless, yet sunlit haven. Bright light always shines over the land. Its roads are built of marble. Empty columns will often adorn random areas of the world with no apparent purpose. Most trees grow aligned to each other and rarely diverge from their usual growth patterns. In fact, most of the objects, creatures and plants here follow a unique organization. Many geometric shapes can be identified the more someone stares at a particular rock formation long enough. For most, it is best to simply continue onward, complete whatever their task was and leave. The majority of the people who live here are, of course, used to the strangeness of the world. To add to the oddities it has a single moon, called Cyran, which oscillates in the sky. The capital of Jenehrtes, Lirivan, is a city filled with marble towers and glass sculptures. Little bits of color actually shine through stained glass displays or reflected on finely carved mosaics. The queen of Jenehrtes, Queen Mariella, is known as a guiding voice due to her calm and quiet demeanor, but when the need arises she can also be ruthless. For some time now she has been working with the people to transition rule to a council, but the proceedings have not gone entirely as planned.

Meanwhile, the counterpart of the world of light is named Zanathas. The world of dark magic is bathed in a perpetual night and the only faint light is that of its four moons, Corvus, Miras, Umbra and Shalis. Unlike the strict order within Jenehrtes, Zanathas is chaotic. Broken structures, cracked pillars and a multitude of shadow creatures dot the landscape. Traversal is not for the weak minded. The predatory creatures employ all sorts of magical tricks to ensnare their prey. People who have to travel to Zanathas do so with as much light magic they can muster, or a rough set of mercenaries. Feelings of fear and anger are sometimes influenced by the energies of this world, but they are to be acknowledged as a natural part of the spirit, or else they can consume it. Dahlnavar is the capital of Zanathas. Queen Parania watches over her people and ensures their safety. There is an arena situated within the city that serves as an outlet for their sometimes aggressive nature. Tournaments are held often as a form of entertainment. It is said that Zanathas has some of the strongest soldiers among the seven worlds.

The seven worlds have survived a number of critical events in the past. Many of those were resolved by a great heroine. She no longer roams the worlds and part of her legacy has been forgotten. Only a few places continue to honor her memory and the feats she performed. Those critical points in the history of the seven worlds often put the people in them at odds with each other. Recent times are much more peaceful. As such, learning, exploration and studying have become the priority. Understanding the worlds and the many artifacts left behind are what many have chosen to seek.

Laurel is an explorer. Gifted with a curious mind and an affinity for balance magic. She travels Entralia along with her friend, a wisp called Thistle. Together they’ve uncovered a number of interesting clues as to the whereabouts of unique items and artifacts. Today they seek the knowledge and wisdom of a great sage. An old man named Lumos is giving a speech at an amphitheater. The speech centers on Lumos’ research on artifacts that litter the worlds. Further back in history, in ancient times, war was greatly prevalent between the seven worlds. This forced many factions to create and refine powerful artifacts to gain the advantage. In this time though, all these artifacts were lost and only a few have been recovered. Those that have been found are placed under the strictest protection or sealed away in magical vaults.

Laurel – “We’re running late Thistle, hurry up!”

Thistle – “But we just got to the city, why are you so bent on going to some boring speech?”

Laurel – “One reason is that Lumos is a renowned sage, another is that father is waiting! Now let’s go!”

Lord Lindrel is Laurel’s father and also a member of the Entralian Council. The council is the ruling government of the world. It is composed of a multitude of representatives from across Entralia as well as a few from each of the other worlds. As for Laurel’s mother, she was lost sometime ago during an expedition. She too was a great explorer and well known throughout Entralia.

When Laurel arrived at the main entrance of the amphitheater Lindrel was waiting for her just outside.

Lindrel – “You’re late. Lumos has already begun the speech.”

Laurel – “Dad! I’m glad to see you too.”

Lindrel – “Of course dear, I am happy to see you. We should hurry inside though, we’ve missed only a few things.”

Thistle – “Hello Lord Lindrel.”

Lindrel – “Greetings Thistle, excited to learn about history?”

Thistle – “If I had a face you would be very aware that I really just want to fly around the city and marvel at the architecture.”

Lindrel – “Ah, but this is also important. Both of you will have time to see the city later.”

Laurel – “She’s just grumpy that I woke up earlier than usual and almost left her behind.”

Thistle – “Not so!”

Laurel and Lindrel sat down in one of the benches while Thistle floated above Laurel’s shoulder. The amphitheater was packed. Many people were curious to know if he would talk about the fabled weapons of power and other artifacts. Laurel in particular was looking forward to learning about more mystical items forged in ancient times.

Lumos – “…the great shrine still stands to this very day. Not much else is known of the Twins of Power. The material with which they were made has not been found again. The great heroine that wielded them vanished along with her family. They retired, in seclusion, to live a peaceful life afterwards. Surely, that family still walks among us, but none of them have ever stood forward to claim the weapons once more. Other sages and scholars have surmised that, since there have been no new problems with the worlds, then the weapons of power are not needed.”

Lumos turned to Lindrel, smiled and waved his hand in salute, then continued his lecture.

Lumos – “Not all artifacts are locked away in vaults or stuck in altars. There are a great many still lost around the worlds. Some books I found detailed a number of the ancient wars that plagued our past. In these, various items were described that contained great power. One such item is an artifact given by one of the perished gods to the original settlement of Balancor. The pages that described the item in question can no longer be read, most were either burnt off or torn. One of the few details that could be extracted was that it is most definitely a weapon.”

The great sage continued his lecture covering other lost weapons. He also mentioned special artifacts. This particular topic caught Laurel’s attention. She had heard of these items and were the few that could possibly be obtainable. It was said that, only the rulers of the worlds were privy of the information needed to find these. There were, of course, other requirements to actually wield the artifacts, but only through thorough research would this be revealed.

Lumos – “To conclude this lecture, I remind you that none of the items I spoke of are easy to obtain or master. The leaders of the worlds will not reveal what they know willingly. It is up to the adventure seekers and scholars to unveil the mysteries of the ancient artifacts. I’m sure not many of you will be interested, due to the dangers, but those of you who are, do not give up. Every bit of history uncovered is important. Thank you for your attendance.”

Without hesitation Laurel jumped from her seat to chase Lumos, who was leaving the amphitheater. Behind her, Lindrel and Thistle followed at a calm pace. Lord Lindrel had already scheduled a meeting with Lumos after the speech. He walked down a hallway that was nearly empty, since most of the people were moving to the outside through a different hall, and reached a chamber where Lumos was to meet him. When Laurel reached that same chamber, after dancing around the hordes of people moving to leave, she saw her father and Thistle waiting.

Laurel – “You know, this would have been easier if you had simply told me about the meeting.”

Thistle – “And miss your face after running around so much? Nah.”

Lindrel – “Laurel, you rushed off without warning. I couldn’t say a word and you had already taken a hundred steps away.”

Laurel – “I guess I was a bit impulsive.”

Lumos – “Well then, you all seem to be acquainted.”

Lindrel – “Oh, yes. Sage Lumos, this is my daughter Laurel and her friend Thistle.”

Lumos – “I am pleased to finally meet you my dear. Your father speaks well of you, quite the scholar from what I hear.”

Laurel – “You’ve spoken before?”

Lindrel – “Of course, Lumos often advises the council. He mostly provides historical context so that we may avoid the mistakes of the past.”

Lumos – “Yes. Now, you mentioned you have a request?”

Lindrel – “Indeed, Laurel here is very interested in researching some of the ancient artifacts you mentioned. It is also in the best interests of the council that some of these be found and protected.”

Lumos – “What has spurred this request? Surely you would have asked within the council?”

Lindrel – “To be entirely truthful we have been receiving reports of a hidden threat amassing weapons and artifacts. If we send you to investigate, as well as to seek out artifacts of your own, then we can avoid a panic among the people.”

Lumos – “Do you believe there is a credible threat?”

Lindrel – “Currently it’s all hearsay. We have found no proof in any of the locations that have been investigated. As you well know, we can’t ignore things like this. Our history is filled with conflict and the current peace time invites challenge. Sad to say, but it’s the reality.”

Laurel – “Sounds like a big adventure. You sure the old man is up to it?”

Lumos – “Hey! I’ll have you know I can still walk very long distances without much rest.”

Lindrel – “What do you say then? Will you go out and search?”

Lumos – “I will. I am curious about what we may find. Helping the council is a responsibility of mine as well.”

Laurel – “Dad, how is it you roped me into this?”

Lindrel – “I suggested you help with this, because having you there would probably deter anyone from interfering. Most people don’t want to have problems with anyone related to the council. I’m also very aware that you want to continue your own explorations.”

Laurel – “Count me in then. Thistle? Are you alright with all this?”

Thistle – “Sure, ask the incorporeal, magical little wisp if I’m up for an adventure after having a whole discussion without her. Laurel, you know the answer is yes, let’s go!”

Thistle flew off to the outside of the chamber through the small open courtyard nearby.

Laurel – “And there she goes.”

Lumos – “We should prepare to go out soon. Laurel, I have an idea of where we can begin our search.”

Lindrel – “Good, I’ll be returning to the council soon. You should leave as soon as you can. Be careful out there Laurel and take care of Lumos.”

Lumos – “I can defend myself you know. Ah, well, I might need help from time to time.”

Laurel – You can count on me dad. Sage Lumos, what’s our destination?”

Lumos – “Just Lumos is fine, and we’re headed to the ruins of an ancient city. It’s a little far from Balancor, I’ll tell you more on the way.”

Late that evening, Lumos, Laurel and Thistle had gathered supplies. Their little troupe was ready to set out. A merchant caravan promised to take them a little past a small village called Jaunr. While with the caravan, they could rest while traveling and be ready for the trip to the ruins.